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Eli Lederman, ESPN Staff Writer
Javion Hilson, ESPN’s No. 71 overall prospect in the 2025 cycle, has decommitted from Florida State with plans to make a final commitment closer to the Dec. 4 early signing period, the four-star defensive end announced via social media Sunday afternoon.
Hilson had been committed to the Seminoles since Jan. 12 and was the second-ranked member of Mike Norvell’s 2025 class, per ESPN’s rankings. His decommitment comes amid Florida State’s 0-2 start to the 2024 season and marks the second departure from the program’s incoming class this weekend after four-star defensive tackle Myron Charles (No. 166 in the ESPN 300) flipped to Texas on Saturday.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to decommit from Florida State and reopen my recruitment,” Hilson said in his announcement. “I will be making my final decision in December. Thank you to everyone at FSU for their support.”
Hilson is a star pass rusher at Florida’s Cocoa High School, where he logged 97 total tackles and 14 sacks while leading the program to a second consecutive Class 2S title as a junior last fall. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound defender is ESPN’s No. 11 defensive end and the 11th-ranked prospect from the state of Florida in the 2025 class.
Hilson took official visits to Florida, Texas and UCF this spring before a pair of trips to Florida State from June 21 to July 27.
Florida State’s 2025 class came in at No. 18 in ESPN’s latest rankings for the cycle before Hilson and Charles pulled their pledges. The Seminoles did gain a recruiting boost in the 2026 class earlier this week when former Syracuse safety commit Izayia Williams, ESPN’s No. 39 prospect in 2026, announced his pledge to Florida State following a Labor Day visit with the program.
The Seminoles were off Saturday and will host Memphis at Doak Campbell Stadium in Week 3.